Our Bureau/Raja Bose

The ruin of the Lakhmipur Estate, a shining example of how beautiful the sign of the neglected past is. In a beautiful environment of the hill- jungle combination, the diversity of the past still calls the sightseers. Tourists want to flock to Laxmipur but due to lack of adequate facilities, many are turned away or those who come have to face the attendant hardships.

The majistic Laxmipur Estate.

One could ask any one’s immediate reaction on  erstwhile  Laxmipur Estate  whose inquisitiveness has taken him/her to explore the ruins of the past. Due to the indifference attitude of the government, even such a beautiful tourist destination having much tourism potentialities yet not come on the tourist map of the state. Eventually every year, especially in winter, tourists in a sizable number gather at this place.

Old temple inside Laxmipur Estate.

Laxmipur located 33 km towards south from district headquarters Banka, 222km east from state capital Patna. To visit the place, people have to rent their own car or car. Deoghar airport is the nearest place to have air connectivity or Banka district headquarters is linked with railway networking.

Another old temple at Laxmipur.

For visiting the place one has to take the  road which goes towards right from Bounsi Chowk and it takes to Chandan Dam after reaching Chandan Dam there is a road from the Dam site itself towards right and it’s about three km from the Dam.

Neglact and apathy gradually damaged the old heritages at Laxmipur.

Laxmipur Estate was established by Raja Thakur Prataap Narayan Deo Singh  where one could find beautiful remains of the building and Jal Mahal and ruins of old temples.

Historical Jal Mahal at Laxmipur.

Present owner of this erstwhile Estate,  Radha Rani Devi lives in Deogarh. Pandit Upendra Mishra the present caretaker, offers his service to the tourists as a guide. He uses to narrate the ancient stories and  takes the visitors  to Kali Mandir, Durga Mandir, Jagganatg Mandir and Buneshwari Mandir along with Vishnu temple.

Part of the ruins of Laxmipur palace.

The present condition is better than rest of the adjoining heritage sites but the exposure is very less else it can be a great tourist place, Mishra pointed out.

Earlier three times in a year Durga Puja was celebrated but now it has reduced to once a year, in the month  of September or October.

Entering inside the campus of  erstwhile Laxmipur Estate one could find an old structure  at one side of the main building. Mishra told it was a light post which used to run by gas, somewhat similar to our petromax they had a system by which they produced a gas which lit up the mantle.

The Lamp post which ran by Gas supply in front of the royal palace at Laxmipur.

Jal Mahal, perhaps is the  most interesting and unique thing inside the campus of the Estate.  The Jal Mahal was a place for recreation, it had nine rooms and music concerts, and other activities took place on those days. Raja Saheb and Rani Maa used to feed fishes in the pond beside Jal Mahal. “The big fishes with nose-rings were called by their names by the Raja and the fishes used to appear on the surface of the water immediately. It is said the fishes were so intelligent that they used to come up as soon as Raja saheb came to feed them,” Mishra narrated the old stories.

There is a place in the field where people with snake bite are treated with holy water till date. There is a tunnel inside the main building and it is said that it was the place through which the family would escape at the time of external invasion.

The idol of Jagganath has been shifted from its original temple which is about 400 year old to the Mandir located beside Kali Mandir as at the time of rainy season and flood the Jagganath temple is submerged under it. Mishra told that earlier the priest used to go to the Jagganath temple on the elephant back during flood and rainy season.

The famous Kali temple at Laxmipur.

There are several myths and legends with Laxmipur Estate. It is said that once the king Thakur Pratap Narayandev arrived at there for haunting. He was accompanied with his huge army, elephants, horses besides haunting dogs. During the haunting  Narayandev was surprised to observed his powerful haunting dogs were killed by wild rabbits in that localities. “The king didn’t have any answer about such uncommon thing so he decided to settle permanently here,” local still believe the old story.

Testimony of Laxmipur’s golden yester years.

Narayandev not only extended his state rather constructed 9 magnificent temples. Since he was a follower of Tantra, he constructed a big temple of Goddesses Kali. The temple is very famous where still devotes from distant places use to visit regularly.  It is also told that earlier, along with sacrifice of animals, human sacrifice was also conducted during Kali puja.

The temples now became dilapidated but its archeology are very impressive. It is also famous for its old stone images of different deities. Unfortunately, on 2004 some idols including the old Kali idol was stolen by the gang of antic smugglers. The present family members of king Narayandev however installed another idols at the temples.

Part of famous Jal Mahal.

The surrounding are of plenty scenic beauty and lush vegetation is there on both the sides of the road and after reaching Laxmipur village one can easily see the tombs of the Estate.

The ruins still attracts many.

“Sizable number of tourists use to visit the place regularly. But since there is no proper facilities for them, many use to avoid. Another hurdle is the prolong apathy of the government towards the ideal tourist destination,” alleged Ravi Prakesh, a student of Banka college who resides at Banka. Echoing Ravi, Hari Narayan, a social activist at Bounsi  lamented the indifferent attitude of government. “There would have been a good revenue from tourism not only at Laxmipur but throughout Banka district provides government would arrange tourism facilities properly,” he claimed.